Father Abel’s Column – Sept. 7th, 2014

This past Wednesday, our Catholic School of Excellence welcomed 468 students to a new school year! Our principal and faculty are committed to helping these children to learn much about life and most importantly about Jesus and the faith. Our principal and faculty are certainly ready for this great mission given to them by Christ. I have already benefited from their excitement and energy as they welcomed their students into the classroom. I also am very much committed to the work and the mission of our Catholic School. I look forward, with all the priest of the parish, to being present to them often during this new school year!

I also had the opportunity of meeting with our confirmation candidates from our Religious Education program to review with them the sacrament of Confirmation which they will celebrate, along with our candidates in our Catholic School of Excellence, on Oct 2 with Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio. It was great having a conversation with them about the faith and I promise to work hard in making sure that the faith is an important part of their lives.

Our newly added 7pm Mass is off to a great start. We have been averaging about 45 people so far. Please try to come if you can.

Next Thursday I will be meeting with our catechists from our Religious Education Program as they look forward to welcoming the students into their classrooms as well. We have wonderful catechists who volunteer their time and share their faith with our young people. I look forward to meeting with them this week.

Next weekend we will have some parishioners update us on the progress of the Annual Catholic Appeal. I thank all of you who have given a pledge. I continue to ask those of you who have not made a request to please consider doing so. This parish needs 100 percent cooperation from everyone. Let’s pray that we all might continue to support this very important program from our Bishop.